SEP 24 (Bangor, Maine) - Acting Special
Agent in Charge Kevin L. Lane Acting
Special Agent in Charge of the Drug
Enforcement Administration for New
England and United States Attorney
Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that
Malcolm French, 50, of Enfield, Rodney
Russell, 48, of South Thomaston, Kendall
Chase, 55, of Bradford, Robert Berg,
49, of Dexter, and Haynes Timberland,
Inc., a Maine corporation, have been
charged by indictment with federal
drug and other offenses arising out
of the September 22, 2009 seizure
of 2,943 marijuana plants in Township
37, Washington County.

French, Russell
and Chase are
charged with
conspiracy to
manufacture over
1000 marijuana
plants. French,
Russell, Berg
and Chase are
charged with
manufacturing
over 1,000 marijuana
plants. French,
Russell and Haynes
Timberland, Inc.
are charged with
managing and
controlling property
used to manufacture
marijuana. French,
Russell and Berg
are charged with
harboring illegal
aliens. Berg
is charged with
assisting individuals
conspiring to
manufacture marijuana
evade apprehension.

Individual defendants
charged with
conspiracy and
manufacturing
marijuana face
from 10 years
to life in prison
and a $10,000,000
fine; those charged
with managing
and controlling
property used
to manufacture
marijuana face
up to 20 years
in prison and
a $500,000 fine;
those charged
with harboring
illegal aliens
face up to 5
years in prison
and a $250,000
fine; and those
charged with
assisting individuals
evade apprehension
face up to 15
years in prison
and a $5,000,000
fine. The indictment
also seeks forfeiture
of Haynes Timberland,
Inc. and the
real property
used to manufacture
marijuana.

The investigation
was conducted
by the Maine
Drug Enforcement
Agency, the Internal
Revenue Service-Criminal
Investigation
and the U.S.
Department of
Homeland Security,
Office of Homeland
Security Investigations,
with assistance
from the U.S.
Drug Enforcement
Administration.

An indictment
is merely an
accusation, and
a defendant is
presumed innocent
unless proven
guilty in a court
of law.